Measures taken by the Kanagawa Prefectural Police that could be seen as attempts to cover up wrongdoing in its ranks were "inappropriate" and the responsibility of those in charge is grave, the head of the National Police Agency Secretariat acknowledged Wednesday.

The remarks came during the day's session of the Upper House Audit Committee, which took up the series of misdeeds among Kanagawa officers ranging from groping to hazing to extortion.

Shigeaki Ishikawa, director of the NPA Secretariat, promised to make every effort to prevent the recurrence of such scandals and restore public trust in the force.